The radiant smile on Rin's face turned tense again because of Fugaku's doubts about the vote count.
To her, Hyuga Kagami becoming the Fifth Hokage truly felt like a dream—a dream too sweet, too fantastical. Even so, she still wanted to see this beautiful dream through to the end.
Watching Fugaku walk toward the vote-counting station, her heart rose to her throat.
Feeling Rin clutching his sleeve tightly, Hyuga Kagami gently patted her hand and chuckled. "Don't worry."
Rin nodded, but her gaze still could not help drifting toward the vote-counting station, her expression filled with unease.
Fugaku, who was walking toward the vote-counting station, had calmed down somewhat as well.
By now, he had realized that the village could not possibly tamper with the count, because it would be too easily exposed. Besides, among the staff responsible for counting the votes were several Uchiha Clan members he had specifically arranged.
Could one of the ninja clans that promised to support me have betrayed me?
A doubt surfaced in his heart.
Soon, Fugaku arrived at the vote-counting station.
The Uchiha Clan members he had arranged to participate in the count hurriedly shook their heads at him, their faces dark.
Fugaku ignored them. With a grim expression, he stepped forward and inspected the Jonin votes one by one. The more he checked, the uglier his expression became. By the end, his entire face had flushed red, and the Three Tomoe Sharingan in his eyes had unconsciously transformed into the Mangekyō Sharingan.
These damned, shameless bastards!
Fugaku roared inwardly, killing intent spreading from him as though it were tangible.
Not only the nearby Anbu, but even the Uchiha Clan members participating in the count instinctively retreated two steps, staring at Fugaku in horror.
In his chakra perception, the chakra emanating from Fugaku